A new vaccination has been added to the childhood immunisation schedule for all babies born on or after July 1st 2008.
Babies will receive their first dose of the new vaccine when they are two months old.
It is being added to the existing 5 in 1 vaccination which is given at 2, 4 and 6 months and protects against diphtheria, polio, whooping cough, tetanus, haemophilus influenzae B and meningococcal C.
The new vaccine offers protection from two serious diseases - pneumococcal disease which can cause meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia and hepatitis B infection which affects the liver and can cause lifelong liver disease.
Children under 2 years of age can also avail of the new vaccine through a catch-up programme over the coming months.
A media campaign will start in the second week of September asking parents of children born in particular months to attend their GP for the vaccine. The advertisements will change each month to cover all children less than two years of age.
Vaccinations are provided free of charge by GPs.
The new vaccine has been recommended by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland and is in line with best international practice.
The assistant national director for Population Health Dr Kevin Kelleher urged all parents to ensure their child receives their scheduled immunisations.
"Immunisation is one of the best ways of protecting your child against serious disease," he said.
"Once children have been immunised their bodies can fight those diseases if they come into contact with them. If a child is not immunised they will be at risk from catching the disease and will rely on other people immunising their children to avoid becoming infected."
Further information is available on www.immunisation.ie and www.healthinfo.ie